Portable sewing machine with accessories

ABSTRACT

A portable domestic sewing machine is provided with support means for enabling detachable accessories for use therewith during operation of the machine, such as a current regulating device and an extension table, to be firmly held in position within at least one space provided within the confines of the body of the machine, when the machine is not in use and a case or housing in which the machine with the accessories stored therein is located during non-use of the sewing machine.

United States Patent [1 1 Giesselmann PORTABLE SEWING MACHINE WITH ACCESSORIES [75] Inventor: Hannes Giesselmann,Huskvarna,

Sweden [7 3] Assignee: Husqvarna Vapenlabriks Aktiebolag,

Huskvarna, Sweden [22] Filed: Dec. 16, 1970 [2]] Appl. No.: 99,216

[51] Int. Cl D051) 75/100 [58] Field 01 Search 112/258, 260, 217.1; 312/21, 29, 30

[56] Relerences Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,875,177 8/1932 Osann 618.1 112/258 X 2,515,338 7/1950 Colegrove 112/258 X [11] 3,745,952 July 17, 1973 2,677,341 5/1954 Bell 112/260 3,188,993 6/1965 Szuba et al. 112/258 3,570,430 3/1971 Fresard 112/258 Primary Examiner-George H. Krizmanich Attorney-John C. Holman and Marvin R. Stern ABSTRACT A portable domestic sewing machine is provided with support means for enabling detachable accessories for use therewith during operation of the machine, such as a current regulating device and an extension table, to be firmly held in position within at least one space provided within the confines of the body of the machine, when the machine is not in use and a case or housing in which the machine with the accessories stored therein is located during non-use of the sewing machine.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PORTABLE SEWING MACHINE WITH ACCESSORIES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a portable, domestic sewing machine provided with detachable accessories in the form of a foot control unit, a box for containing different appurtenances and an additional sewing table. The sewing machine is intended to be placed on a work bench or table during use and stored in a case when not In use.

PRIOR TECHNIQUES Portable, domestic sewing machine accessories are normally separate from the machine and from each other. This gives rise to a number of disadvantages, such as that loose accessories stored in the box during transport or when putting away the machine are liable to strike against each other, thereby causing possible damage to important components, or that packingof the accessories in the box is excessively time consuming and requires considerable accuracy in order that all the accessories are neatly packed in the box. Furthermore, subsequent to packing the accessories, a large portion of the available space is still unused, which means that the machine case must be larger than that required to contain the actual volume of the machine and accessories. The advantages of the portable machine could be better utilized if these disadvantages were eliminated or substantially reduced. For instance, the sewing machine could be made lighter and could be used more often and fulfill a greater purpose.

The problem on which the invention is based is that of providing a compact, unitary sewing machine construction together with accessories which promotes the operational function of the sewing machine and which can all be packed together in a storage box. This problem, which relates to the adaption of the different components to one another, can be resolved by constructing the various components in a number of different ways. In order that the accessories can be stowed in a compact manner within the precincts of the body of the machine, it is necessary to use effectively the openings and recesses present for inserting therein at least a number of the accessories accompanyingthe machine. A construction with which each accessory has a given place, in which it can be placed in only one way, results in a composite machine of small volume and greatly simplifies the task of packing the accessories in position.

One object of the present invention is that when placed in position, the functionally known units, such as accessories, frame and head of a portable sewing machine occupy as small a volume as possible.

Another object of the present invention is to render it impossible to alternate the positions of the different components in the packed machine, by suitably constructing the space for a particular part in the machine in a manner whereby it is characteristically shaped with regard to the component in question.

A further advantage afforded by such a compact assembly is that the components are seated firmly in position when the case or hood is placed in position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention, which solves the aforementioned problem by means of a sewing machine having the aforementioned qualities, is characterized in that the accessories and the walls of the machine body facing the spaces are characteristically formed with respect to each other, and that said spaces are substantially filled by the accessories, each of which is inserted into its respective space in a definite manner.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sewing machine, showing all the accessories removed from the machine but capable of being linearly brought together to form a unit,

FIG. 2 is a view of a sewing machine seen from the rear with an extended extension table, and

FIG. 3 illustrates a sewing machine packed in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings there is shown a free-arm sewing machine denoted generally provided with a carrying handle 2, which can be pushed down into top arm 3, and a supporting base plate 4. Between free arm 5 and the base plate is located an open space 5a, while a second open space 3a is located between the top arm 3 and the free arm 5. The external. construction of the machine consists of straight lines, flat, pair-wise parallel side surfaces defining walls and shallow built-in drive and operating means. This simple external construction promotes the possibility of fitting loose machine components into the machine for packing pur poses, with the components also having a simple external design. In the open area or space 5a beneath the free arm 5 there is sufficient space to accomodate a box 6 for machine appurtenances, one short side 7 of which fits against a side surface 8 of the machine post or pedestal, with the surface 8 being slightly inclined towards the front of the machine, similar to the short side 7, so that the box 6 will only be accomodated in the space in the illustrated manner (FIG. 3). The second open space 30 is sufficiently, large to accomodate a foot control device 9, which has a rectangular base plate 10, with the base plate completely covering the space in question in a forward direction when the control device is placed in position. It is impossible to place the foot control device in any position other than the shown position (FIG. 3), since the shape of the control device will only permit it to lie against the side surface 8 of the post and a sewing head 11 at the outer end of the top arm 3. When inserted in position, the control device rests on the upper surface of the free arm and forms a protective covering at the front of the machine and on the inside for a needle bar 12 and a presser foot 13.

The third accessory, i.e. an extension table 14, is placed behind the machine parallel with its rear side. In FIG. 2, the table is shown in an extended, detached position, but can be locked in position by being moved along the machine to the left in FIG. 2, whereby an oblique edge 15 on the table is inserted beneath a correspondingly inclined side edge surface 16 on an inspection plate 17. The inclined, locking edges also give an indication as to how the table should be fixed in position and thus prevent the table from being placed on the rear side of the machine in a position other than that illustrated (FIGS. 2 and 3). When the three accessories are placed in their respective positions, they I form with the actual machine 1 a compact unit, as shown in FIG. 3, over which a case or hood 18 can be placed. The handle 2 is intended for carrying the machine and can be extended from the top arm, through an opening 19 in the case to the position shown in FIG. 3. The bottom edges of the case 18 bear against the base plate 4, which is provided with oblique edges 20 or guide strips for the bottom edges of the case, so that the case will be retained in a specific position on the base plate. The inside surfaces of the case 18 constitute side supports for the foot control device 9 and the box 6, whereby the position of these accessories is not disturbed if the machine is placed on its side. The extension table forms a corresponding support on the other side of the machine. constitute side supports for the foot control device 9 and the box 6, whereby the position of these accessories is not disturbed if the machine is placed on its side. The extension table forms a corresponding support on the other side of the machine.

The machine can be readily placed in operating order from its packed condition; the machine is placed directly onto a working table and the casing and accessories removed. The casing may optionally be provided with safety catches (not shown) which engage in the base plate to prevent it from being moved out of its correct position should the machine be subjected to rough handling.

It was mentioned in the introduction that the space allotted to each particular accessory could be formed so as to be characteristic for the particular accessory to be accomodated therein, so that the person packing the components together in the machine would readily recognize their respective places. This characteristic feature can be improved by giving the walls or surfaces surroundings of spaces and the accessory in question a special color code, for example a red side surface in the space corresponds to a similarly red surface on the accessory, whereby the person packing the accessories in the machine turns the accessories so that like colored surfaces are placed together. Such a system eliminates the risk of wrongly placing the accessories while the time taken to pack the accessories in the machine is reduced.

The individual accessories may also be given a form suitable for their purpose. For example, the box containing the machine appurtenances may have a wide bottom surface and long sides, which enables the contents to be viewed more easily. Moreover, the foot control device, in addition to having a space for the electrical equipment, may also have a space in the form of a pocket 21 for the electric lead and the mains plug. The extension table has a support wall 22, which in a working position supports the table with the upper surface of the free arm and in the illustrated position (FIG. 3) forms a protective cover on the outside of the needle bar and the presser foot. The hood 18 tapers upwardly, which simplifies removal of the machine, and is manufactured in one piece, for example by compression molding. Finally, the handle is placed directly on the machine, which facilitates movement thereof both when the hood is removed and when the hood is in place.

The drawing illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention, although it should be understood that the accessories need not be positioned in the illustrated pattern in order that the machine is compactly packed. Different types of sewing machines provide different possibilities of solving the problem of finding the most purposeful places for the accessories within the precincts of the machine within a specific hood volume. For example, in the case of a flat table machine, the box containing machine appurtenances may be placed in the space in the machine bed or adjusted to the foot control device and placed together therewith in the larger open space in the center of the machine. The positioning of the extension table on the front or rear side of the machine is an alternative choice which also applies to the foot control device and the box containing machine appurtenances. The control device may alternatively be carried out in such a way that it will fit in the centre of the machine when the pocket 21 is turned against the side surface 8. Just as different sewing machine types provide different possibilities of positioning the accessories, so can the accessories vary in number and complexity. In the described embodiment attention has been paid only to three conventional accessories (apart from the hood). This does not exclude the fact, however, that several other accessories different to those mentioned may also form part of the ancillary equipment of the machine.

The invention is not restricted to the described and illustrated embodiment thereof, but that this embodiment is merely intended as an example of a solution to the problem presented. Solutions according to the present invention are disclosed in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a portable domestic machine provided with detachable accessories for use therewith during operation of the machine and a case encompassing the machine when not in use, a machine body having a base plate, a vertical post at one end of the base plate, an upper arm and a lower arm extending horizontally from the post over the base plate and a sewing head carried by the upper arm, said body having outer surfaces defining flat and parallel front, rear and end walls, a first space provided between the base plate and the lower arm and a second space between the lower arm and the upper arm, said first and second spaces extending between the front and rear walls of the body, the base plate, the upper and lower arms and the post facing the spaces being flat and constituting support surfaces, a box for machine appurtenances, said box having outer walls provided with surfaces complemental to the support surfaces of the first space and engagable with the support surfaces when the box is positioned therein to formly hold said box in position in the first space within the confines of the body when the machine is not is use and a foot control device having external surfaces complemental to the support surfaces of the second space and engagable with the support surfaces when the foot control device is positioned in the second space to firmly hold the foot control device in position in the second space within theconfines of the body when the machine is not in use.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1 characterized in that the case is defined by a downwardly open hood having inner side surfaces which closely embrace the front and rear walls of the machine body.

3. The arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that the size of the downward opening of the hood is equal to the size of the base plate of the machine covered by the hood.

4. The arrangement according to claim 3, characterized in that the hood has a top provided with an opentable and rear wall having complemental interlocking portion securing the table to the body, and a support wall on the extension table extending at right angles to the plane of the table and lying flat. against one end wall of the machine body. 

1. In a portable domestic machine provided with detachable accessories for use therewith during operation of the machine and a case encompassing the machine when not in use, a machine body having a base plate, a vertical post at one end of the base plate, an upper arm and a lower arm extending horizontally from the post over the base plate and a sewing head carried by the upper arm, said body having outer surfaces defining flat and parallel front, rear and end walls, a first space provided between the base plate and the lower arm and a second space between the lower arm and the upper arm, said first and second spaces extending between the front and rear walls of the body, the base plate, the upper and lower arms and the post facing the spaces being flat and constituting support surfaces, a box for machine appurtenances, said box having outer walls provided with surfaces complemental to the support surfaces of the first space and engagable with the support surfaces when the box is positioned therein to formly hold said box in position in the first space within the confines of the body when the machine is not is use and a foot control device having external surfaces complemental to the support surfaces of the second space and engagable with the support surfaces when the foot control device is positioned in the second space to firmly hold the foot control device in position in the second space within the confines of the body when the machine is not in use.
 2. The arrangement according to claim 1 characterized in that the case is defined by a downwardly open hood having inner side surfaces which closely embrace the front and rear walls of the machine body.
 3. The arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that the size of the downward opening of the hood is equal to the size of the base plate of the machine covered by the hood.
 4. The arrangement according to claim 3, characterized in that the hood has a top provided with an opening through which a handle on the upper arm of the machine extends when the hood embraces the front and rear walls of the body.
 5. The arrangement according to claim 1 including an extension table positioned flat against the rear wall of the body, the size of the extension table being substantially equal to that of the rear wall, the extension table and rear wall having complemental interlocking portion securing the table to the body, and a support wall on the extension table extending at right angles to the plane of the table and lying flat against one end wall of the machine body. 